Saturday, August 28, 2010

Cities Matter

Cities Matter is a project sponsored by the League of Minnesota Cities. If you are interested in learning more about how cities work, how they are funded and the challenges they face, go to: http://www.citiesmatter.org/ . The information is easy to understand and includes information for teachers and students as well.

As always, your ideas, concerns and suggestions are welcomed by me and at City Hall. Don't be shy!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Budget Worksession and City Council Meeting

Mayor Hakes, Councilors Costello, Kennedy, Lenz and Sivertson were all present for today's Budget Worksession and Council Meeting. Also present were Mike Roth and Kim Dunsmoor. City Attorney Chris Hood was present (via telephone) for the Council Meeting. Park Manager Dave Tersteeg, Assistant Manager Amber Clay and Fire Chief Ben Silence presented budget overviews to the Council.

Budget Worksession

Council reviewed Expenditures and Revenues for several departments in the General Fund including Council, City Clerk, Elections, Financial Administration, City Attorney, Planning & Zoning, Government Buildings, Law Enforcement, Fire, Medical Services, Animal Control, Highways Streets & Roads, Recreation, Swimming Pool, Boat Harbor, and City Parks.

Council must set the maximum levy for the City before September 14 and will do so at their next regularly scheduled Council Meeting on September 8, 2010. A final budget work session will be held just prior to that meeting. Setting the budget for 2011 is particularly challenging this year due to the uncertainty of Local Government Aid to cities and the pending contract negotiations with city employees.

City Council Meeting

Open Forum
No member of the public opted to address the Council during the Open Forum.

Consent Agenda
The Consent Agenda, including Meeting Minutes from both 7/28 and 8/11, was approved with no changes.

Harbor Park Flagpole Request
Gene Erickson addressed the Council with an offer to pay for a memorial flag pole in Harbor Park. This idea was born out of a group of friends exploring ways to remember their friend and local business owner, Dick Joynes. Erickson and friends have collected $1300 for a flag pole and memorial plaque to include the name of Joynes; the plaque would be large enough to memorialize others as a way to raise funds for the Park.

Because Harbor Park is part of a Conservation Easement and was funded in part by a DNR Natural Scenic Grant it is unknown whether or not a flagpole would be allowed. Council unanimously passed a motion for Mike Roth to contact the DNR to see if such a memorial would be allowed. Councilor Sivertson reminded the Council that there was an extensive public process that went into the design of Harbor Park that would also need to be considered carefully.

Mayor Hakes suggested (2) possible alternatives to Erickson for the memorial flagpole including Compass Park and the Coast Guard Station. Erickson ruled out the Coast Guard Station, but said Compass Park might be an acceptable alternative to Harbor Park.

All-Hazard Mitigation Plan Resolution of Adoption
Council adopted the 2010 Update of the Cook County All Hazard Mitigation Plan. Jim Wiinanen was present to answer questions. Wiinanen notified Council that there will be Workshop in November 2010 for elected officials to understand their roles in emergency situations.

EECBG Project Committee
Council passed a motion for Tim Kennedy and Mike Roth to represent the City and work with Cook County Local Energy Project, the County and other community stakeholders in working to develop an energy efficiency and renewable energy plan for Cook County and the City of Grand Marais. George Wilkes of CCLEP was present to answer questions about the grant and also to introduce Don Grant as the Energy Plan Coordinator.

Quick Variance Resolution
Council voted unanimously to deny the request for a variance to reduce the side yard setback from 10 to 5 feet for an addition to property owned by Dan and Linda Quick. Council findings were based on the recent MN Supreme Court ruling in the case of Krummenacher v. City of Minnetonka which tightly restricts the reasonable use of the "undue hardship" legal standard for granting or denying variance requests. Landowners seeking a variance must now show that the property cannot be put to any reasonable use without the variance. Council expressed their regrets in not being able to grant the variance.

MMUA 2010-11 Safety Management Program Contract
Council voted unanimously to renew the Safety Management Program contract with Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association (MMUA). The City and MMUA have been successful in working together to develop a safety program that is both effective and affordable.

Economic Development Authority/Superior National Golf Course
Council discussed the Economic Development Authority's (EDA) recent recommendations regarding Superior National Golf Course to the County Board. The EDA's proposal includes management change at Superior National from the EDA to a non-profit organization, ownership change from the EDA to the County, $1,569,000 in One Percent Sales Tax funding, bond payment of $467,000 by the County and an additional $100,000/year to the County General Fund.

Hakes and Roth reported that at the August 24 County Budget Hearings, the EDA requested a supplementary levy of $119,470 from the County to enable the EDA to pay the general obligation bond debt incurred for the development of Cedar Grove Business Park.

(Background: Hakes and Roth attended the July 13 EDA Board Meeting to communicate the City's position to the EDA Board regarding the $1.6 million bond debt on the Cedar Grove Business Park. Representing the City of Grand Marais, Hakes expressed grave concern over the Cedar Grove Business Park debt and requested that the EDA Board include the bond payment in their budget and consider it in their levy request. Hakes requested the EDA resolve their existing debt obligation before creating any new obligations or debt.)

Council & Staff Reports
Kay Costell0 reported that the Library is in the process of reviewing architectural drawings for a proposed library expansion to be paid for with One Percent Sales Tax funds.
Bill Lenz requested Council review the existing lease agreement with East Bay Suites for (5) parking spaces for consistency with the terms of other leases, including Stone Harbor Wilderness. Council agreed lease agreements should be fair and equitable and authorized Mike Roth to discuss with EBS Manager Andrew Warren.
Mike Roth reported on the Coalition of Greater MN Cities Conference in Winona MN. Highlights of the conference included Candidate Forums for Governor and State Auditor.
Sue Hakes updated the Council on the progress being made by the Community Center Steering Committee. The Committee is interviewing potential Construction Managers for the proposed project to be funded by One Percent Sales Tax funding.

Mark Your Calendars
Thurs, August 26 at 4 pm, Joint City/County/School/Tribal Council Meeting at City hall
Wed, September 8 at 3:30 pm, Budget Worksession
Wed, September 8 at 4:30 pm, City Council Meeting
Wed, September 29 at 4:30 pm, City Council Meeting




Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Budget Worksession and City Council Meeting

Mayor Hakes and Councilors Costello, Kennedy, Lenz and Sivertson were all present for both today's Budget Worksession and City Council Meeting. Also present for both were Mike Roth, Kim Dunsmoor and Chris Hood (via telephone). Lenny Bloomquist was present for the Council Meeting.

Budget Worksession
The Council continues to work on the 2011 Budget. Department Heads are working on individual budgets and will present to Council on August 25. Council reviewed (3) scenarios for the 2011 Budget with difference being the amount of State Aid received in the form of LGA and MVHC. Council assumes that State Aid will be reduced as the Governor and State Legislators work to resolve the $5-6 Billion State Deficit. The City and the City Workers Union will be negotiating a new contract this Fall. The Council will set its maximum levy on September 8, 2010.

City Council Meeting

Open Forum
No member of the Public opted to address the Council during Open Forum.

Approve Consent Agenda
Council approved Consent Agenda without Meeting Minutes. The July 28 Meeting Minutes were accidentally omitted from the Packet and will be reviewed for approval at the next Council Meeting.

Planning Commission Report

Variance Standards
The Minnesota Supreme Court recently issued a decision that changed the longstanding interpretation of the statutory standard for granting zoning variances. This Court ruling holds cities to a much stricter standard which considerably limits variance opportunities. Basically, the Supreme Court concluded that city authority to issue a variance is limited to those very rare cases where the property cannot be put to "a reasonable use" without the variance. And the Court stated that "unless and until the Legislature takes action to provide a more flexible variance standard for municipalities, we are constrained by the language of the statute to hold that a municipality does not have the authority to grant a variance unless the applicant can show that her property cannot be put to a reasonable use without the variance."

The Council voted unaninously to refer this change in the legal standard to the Planning Commission. Among other things, the Planning Commission will work to incorporate these changes into our City Code Section 19.20. Council also asked the Planning Commission to find a way for our City Code to allow the City greater flexibility in allowing "variance-like" approvals under the zoning code.

Quick Variance
Dan and Linda Quick requested a variance to construct a two-story addition to their existing single-family home located 5' within the required 10' side yard setback on their property zoned R-1. The City Council voted unanimously to deny this request based on their finding that the request did not pass the new legal standard (see above) as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Krummenacher v. City of Minnetonka, 2010 WL 2517702 (Minn. 2010). Council expressed their sincere regrets in having to make this decision.

Harbor Park Flagpole Request
Gene Erickson was on the agenda to discuss possible locations for a flagpole in memory Dick Joynes, but Gene did not attend today's meeting. Mayor Hakes discussed (2) sites to be considered for the memorial flag pole: Coast Guard Station and Compass Park. Hakes contacted Richard Fortunato of the USBP to see if replacing the current flag at the Coast Guard Station was feasible. Fortunato was receptive to the idea stating he would need to talk with Chief Hernandez, the Coast Guard and the Historical Society.

Stone Harbor Lease
Council discussed and modified a lease agreement for use of public property by Stone Harbor, LLC to locate a temporary rack for storage of kayaks between May 1 and November 1. The property to be leased is adjacent to property owned by Jack Stone of Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply Co located on the East Bay. Mayor Hakes noted that she received negative feedback about the proposed lease from (1) Grand Marais resident. She also referenced a call she received from Cathi Williams, co-owner of Bear Track Outfitter. Williams said that she also had an interest in leasing land for storing Bear Track Outfitter kayaks on the Harbor. Mayor Hakes expressed the importance of supporting local businesses, fairness, and the possibility of establishing a policy for leasing city owned property. After some discussion, Council voted unaninously to approve the lease and that other requests should be considered on a case by case basis.

Street Truck Purchase
Council unanimously approved the purchase of a much needed street truck including dump box, plow and sander. The City collects $18,000 annually to buy capital for the Street Department; the replacement schedule budgets $60,000 for the replacement of this truck. The quote for the new truck is $62,392.34. Delivery is anticipated in ~4 months.

Burn Pile Update
Council has received several complaints about poor air quality caused by the City's burn pile. Council is considering all options including closing the burn pile. A Public Hearing is being scheduled for September 29 to hear ideas, pros and cons from the Public before any decision is made.

Fire Department Grant
The Fire Department has received a grant for $1800 to offset the cost of 5 handheld radios totalling $3750. Council unanimously approved the grant agreement. Mike Roth acknowledged the initiative of volunteer fire department member Aaron Mielke in receiving this grant.

ECFE Request for Road Closing
Council approved a request from the ECFE to close the city street between the Community Center and the Fire Hall to accomodate a large equipment display on Saturday 8/21 of the County Fair.

Council & Staff Reports
Bill Lenz reported that both Golf Course and Rec Park revenues are up through July while Pool revenues are down and the Marina is even when compared to 2009. He also noted that WTIP will host their annual Radio Waves concert at the Sliding Hill September 9-10.

Sue Hakes forwarded a request from School Superintendent Beth Schwarz to present an overview of the School Referendum. Council will be present at the next Joint ISD166/City/County/Tribal Council meeting on August 26 to hear the presentation. Hakes also said Bruce Leng told Hakes he would like to meet with her and Mike Roth to discuss options for his Theatre Building in downtown Grand Marais.

Mark Your Calendars
Wed, August 25 at 4:30, City Council Meeting
Thur, August 26 at 4:00, Joint ISD166/City/County/Tribal Council Meeting at City Hall
Wed, September 8 at 3:30, Worksession on Budget
Wed, September 8 at 4:40, City Council Meeting
Wed, September 29 at 4:30, City Council Meeting
Wed, September 29 at 5:00, Tentative Public Hearing on City Burn Pile

Monday, August 9, 2010

Fisherman's Picnic

A personal note..

Fisherman's Picnic 2010 was really fun. It was my first year as a Lion so I had the opportunity to really plug into the event, which made it even better. I had the pleasure of working in the Fishburger Stand, the Information Booth, selling raffle tickets and being the MC of the Loon Calling Contest. I played BINGO at the American Legion and won for the first time in my life!!! I walked the Parade, listened to lots of local musicians and witnessed log rolling, kids playing games and the oh-so-yucky Fish Toss competition! Best of all, I shared time with friends and neighbors.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of this year's Picnic. We really live in a wonderful town.